Pro Compass vs Compass
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pro Compass
This app offers a realistic pocket compass experience with modern features like MGRS, sun/moon tracking, and GPS coordinates. It provides multiple display styles and advanced measurement tools for various applications.
- Realistic 3D floating compass hardware
- Nine compass display modes
- Magnetic and true direction display
- Sun and Moon position tracking
- MGRS, UTM, and GPS coordinate formats
- Two-axis inclinometer with bubble levels
- Support for over 230 geodetic datums
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Pro Compass replicates the look and feel of classic pocket compass hardware in use since the 1800s, adding modern features and technologies. The app uses advanced OpenGL graphics (normally reserved for games) to render 3D floating compass hardware for realistic operation. Pro Compass offers nine different compass modes with direct read, traditional, and rosette styles capable of displaying degrees, quads, or mils (the direct read mode shows a North-South needle and reversed East-West convention). In all display modes, Pro Compass shows both magnetic and true direction simultaneously, with a rotating outer true ring that is automatically adjusted for local magnetic declination. Sun and Moon position are marked on the compass rings and continually updated. Pro Compass displays location and altitude, with decimal, degree-minute-second, UTM, and MGRS position formats. An optional "Datum Pack" adds over 230 geodetic datums covering regions and countries on all continents around the world. The app also contains a built in two-axis inclinometer that drives two independent bubble levels and a bullseye level. The inclinometer has angle readout dials for each axis, making it useful for many different types of measurements including slopes, pitches, sight lines, and geological angles like dip and strike. After using Pro Compass, you'll see why it's the best and most realistic compass available on the App Store! Also be sure to check out the new Pro Compass for Watch, available for all Apple Watch models running watchOS 6 or later. ***** IMPORTANT ACCURACY NOTE ***** Pro Compass reports accuracy directly from the magnetometer sensor in your device. This accuracy is determined by the hardware, not the application itself. To improve results, operate Pro Compass away from any electronics or other sources of electro-magnetic interference, including car dashboards, aircraft cockpits, metal structures, and other devices. Please contact the developer via the support link if you need additional information about accuracy or operation of Pro Compass.
Compass
This app helps you navigate by displaying your direction on a compass, overlayed on a satellite or map view. It provides your street address, GPS coordinates, and altitude, along with What3Words coordinates for precise location identification.
- Compass direction display
- Satellite and map view overlay
- Street address and GPS coordinates
- Altitude display
- What3Words coordinates
- Zoom functionality
- Accuracy indicator
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With “Compass Pro” you can orientate yourself optimally at your location. You can see the direction of the compass and match it with the satellite image or the map on the compass. That you know exactly where you are you get the street address, the exact GPS coordinates and the current height above sea level displayed. In addition, the position is displayed in What3Words (w3w) coordinates. To switch between satellite image and map view just tap the compass. You can zoom with the pinch-/spread Gesture or with the slider beneath the Address so that you can orient yourself at certain prominent points. The blue highlighted area indicates the current accuracy. Terms of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Compass at Free against Pro Compass's $1.99. Compass also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 73). Pro Compass's advantage is chart position (#141 vs unranked). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Compass is free to download; Pro Compass costs $1.99 up front. Pro Compass sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Compass sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Compass holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Compass has 2.3K ratings behind it against 73, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Pro Compass's written reviews are positive against 67% of Compass's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Pro Compass ships an update every 6 months, Compass every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pro Compass | Compass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (73 ratings) | 4.7 (2.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.3% of reviews — better | 66.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 73 | 2.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #141 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.4 — better | 12 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Craig Hunter | Peter Bohl |
Customer experience
Pro Compass
Compass
User reviews
Pro Compass
From 73 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎯 Displays both true and magnetic north simultaneously
- 📍 Accurate GPS location and coordinate display
- 🔧 Multiple coordinate format options (MGRS, UTM, DMS)
- 📊 Professional-grade precision instrument
- 🎨 Clean, intuitive interface design
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inconsistent compass accuracy across locations
- ❌ True north often displays as 'NA' without explanation
- 📍 GPS location detection frequently incorrect (places users in wrong continent)
- ⚠️ Large margin of error (15-35 degrees reported)
- 🔄 Compass needle wavers and appears unstable
Compass
From 2.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate compass
- 👍 Useful features like location and elevation
- 🗺️ Detailed map overlay
- 🔍 Precise direction indication
Room to improve
- 🐛 Compass direction inaccurate
- 🌐 Issues with non-English language support
- 💢 Annoying ads
- 🤔 Calibration problems
Bugs and requests
Pro Compass
Reported bugs
8 issues- GPS location places users in wrong geographic areas
- True north display shows 'NA' without troubleshooting guidance
- Compass heading inconsistent on same fixed location
- Map loading takes excessive time
- Inclinometer calibration stuck in progress loop
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- Compass appears frozen in some instances
- Magnetic declination not automatically adjusting for location
- East/West orientation reversed in some configurations
Requested features
15 requests- Watch app integration with data sharing
- Manual compass calibration/adjustment feature
- Red backlight option for astronomers
- Topographic map overlay
- Bearing input and route planning capabilities
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- Ability to remove bubble levels from display
- Native iPad optimization and larger graphics
- DM.mm coordinate format option
- Pointer color customization (red/green needle)
- GMT/time display integration
- Map orientation by direction of travel
- Coordinate spacing for easier plotting
- UK Ordnance Survey coordinate support
- Device-specific bias compensation
- Automatic magnetic declination database by location
Compass
Reported bugs
4 issues- Compass direction completely off
- App crashes on launch
- Barometric pressure widget not working
- Location tracking issues
Requested features
4 requests- Option to remove ads
- Customizable compass display
- Improved calibration controls
- Support for imperial units
In-app purchases
Pro Compass
- Datum Pack$2.99
Compass
- AdFree and Widgets for 1 month$0.991 Month
- 3 months ad-free + Widgets$1.993 Months
- 1 year Ad Free + Widgets$4.991 Year
- Ad Free without limits$10.99









